Time for a couple of recently released bottlings by TWE. Both were released end of 2022, and they look very promising. the first one I am going to review today is an older Scapa 19 yo, distilled 2003.
I used to like Scapa 14 quite a bit back in the day and was sad to see it replaced by the 16 which I don’t like as much. This one on the other hand is quite unique, as it’s an official Scapa bottled for a shop (TWE).
So… a 2003 cask-strength Scapa single malt, bottled exclusively for The Whisky Exchange – matured in first-fill American oak barrels for 19 years before bottling in August 2022. This is a rare whisky: one of the few official Scapa bottlings available, the first-ever shop-exclusive, and it’s bottled at cask strength.
Scapa 2003 – 19 Year Old Exclusive to The Whisky Exchange, 56.7% , £225
Nose: Nice and fruity up front with a mix of red and green apples, vanilla ice cones, and apple strudels. Further nosing reveals peach and apricot cobbler, some wine gums and sultanas sweetness, drizzled with lemon and orange zest, and some cotton candy and a hint of brine.
Palate: Some more apples here on the palate, with a nice sweetness balanced by polished oak and baking spices in addition to some pepper, vanilla, and shredded dried coconut. There’s some lemon zest and orange marmalade sweetness too, ending on honeyed notes, and a wee hint of exotic fruit.
Finish: more of the exotic fruit (papayas, and red grapefruit), fresh toast, and more apple puree.
Conclusion: A lovely fruity and complex Scapa at cask strength… What a great dram this is. Not cheap though, but if you’re a Scapa fan, you won’t find many OB Scapas at this ABV… yummy. Well done, TWE and Scapa. Well done…